INJURIES and set-backs have become second nature to Laura Finucane – but the Pendle middle-distance runner has vowed to ensure that they are the exception rather than the rule in 2010.

For the past 24 months Finucane has spent more time on the treatment table than the track – first undergoing surgery on her knee before suffering a stress fracture in her foot.

The 23-year-old enjoyed a glittering career as a junior competing at every major competition poss-ible but has hit a stumbling block in her attempts to transfer that to the senior stage.

However the Pendle AC runner is finally on the comeback trail and the original member of the ‘On Camp with Kelly’ initiative is plotting an injury-free next 12 months.

“I have had two bad seasons and it has been quite hard but I did manage to race a little bit at the end of the season and it was nice to get back racing,” said Finucane.

“Hopefully it is all over now and I want to just have a really good winter and put that all behind me. But because of the injury I have just got lots of short terms goal and I am not going to look too far ahead.

“I am injury free now and I aim to keep it that way until Christmas and then I’ll think about the season.”

Fellow Lancashire runner and ‘On Camp with Kelly’ member Ben Lindsay suffered a similar fate to Finucane after seeing his 2009 campaign hampered by a heel injury.

Competitions on the track were sparse for the 21-year-old from Brierfield but with full fitness beckoning, Lindsay has vowed to return to form in time for the European Cross Country Champion-ships in December.

“The injury made it really uncomfortable to run and affected my cross country season,” said Lindsay. “I had a cortizone injection to help clear it up but it’s fine now and I’m back in training.

“I’ve got the Europeans coming up and I’m hoping to make the team in Liverpool at the end of November so that’s my first target for the winter.”

Finucane and Lindsay took time out to join 45 other ‘On Camp with Kelly’ youngsters for a cookery masterclass with celebrity chef Ainsley Harriott.